So the end of the school year has always been one of my favorite times at Tumaini Evangelistic Pre & Primary School. Then this year happened. I have held off writing this post because honestly I did not know how to present what went on. Normally I spend the last week leading up to the day we close the school with the students doing various projects and packing the Christmas gifts for every student. When I did all this myself and we bought our bookbags in town so they had to be assembled it took the better part of two weeks to put all the bags together. Last year we got the older students to help and it still took a full day.

So what happened this year? After laying out all the activities with the School Director for the week and planning to start putting the Christmas gifts together on Monday, they tell me Monday morning they are closing the school that day for the end of the year. I have a three hour meeting with the School Director and Headmaster that also has to be moved to the same day because they will leave town the minute the school closes not to be heard from again until school starts in January. So I only get 3 hours to put all the gifts for 300 students and 20 staff together. It is hard to use the staff and students to help because each class gets a different items or number of items. For example Preschool students get 80 page exercise books and all Standard students get 2 Quire Counter books. Only Standard 2 and above get rulers. Younger students get one type of toy. First couple of Standard Grades get a different toy more appropriate to their age and the older students get another type of toy. Those entering Standard 1 next year get a Bible story book and those entering Standard 4 get a full Bible. Quality Control went out the window after we did Baby class three times before getting it right.

In addition we had to give awards for top students on the final exams. Not to mention the teachers all had to give a speech about doing homework over the break. Yes all 10 teachers and the headmaster gave the same basic speech wasting several hours on a very tight day. Some of you who follow me regularly know I purchased a used Sentro 48 pin circular knitting machine to see if I could teach the sewing ministry how to use it. I used that machine the week before to make stocking caps for the top student in each class. I will include all their photos after I finish with the Christmas gifts.

So by the time we got to giving out the Christmas bags it was past the time for the students to leave. What does this mean? I got no photos of the kids smiling showing off their Christmas Gifts to share with you. It hurt not being able to see them show everything off and knowing each bag had things correctly in them instead of trying to handle mistakes caused by the rush and confusion of the situation.

The bags this year were once again made for us by a lady in Msitu wa Tembo, the village next to our village. Each bag also contained a handmade crochet/knitted washcloth. It now takes multiple villages to make all of those for our school. Mauldin Methodist Friendly Yarns, Tabitha’s Hands from Mountain Rest Baptist, Uplift Women’s Ministry at Pelham Road Baptist and several folks in and around Greenwood through St. Mark United Methodist. I still try to make about 50 washcloths myself every year. Each bag contains 5 to 7 notebooks/exercise books based on how many subjects they will have in their class next year, water bottles, candy, toys, pencils, sharpener, eraser, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush and fingernail clippers. This year the team from St. Mark United Methodist held a fundraiser and purchased us crayons and coloring books that they brought over. The picture above has the Bible Story Book for those entering Standard 1 and the picture below has the full Bible for those entering Standard 4.

All the staff get a bag of rice, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, washcloth, candy, fingernail clippers and a water bottle.

Above James from Baby Class was the top student and Alanyuni was #2 from Baby Class.

Above is Julias #3 in Baby Class and below is Whitness who was #1 in Middle Preschool

above is Steve who was #2 in Middle and Below is Wema who was #3

Agape who was #1 in Pre-Unity is at the top of the page. Above is Lilian who was #2 and below is Rehema who was #3.

Above is Simon who was #1 in Standard 1 (btw this is a big deal for a regular middle of the class performer) and Abagail was #2 is pictured below

Above is Erick who is #3 in Standard 1 and below is Joyce who was #1 in Standard 2

Above is Dalnim who was #2 in Standard 2 and below is Joan who was #3.

Above is Julieth who was #1 for Standard 3 and below is Tuishime who was #2.

Above is Mary who was #3 in Standard 3 and below is Musa who was #1 in Standard 4.

Above is Wilson who is #2 in Standard 4 and below is Zoe who was #3

Above is Jackson (sorry for the poor quality of the picture) who was #1 in Standard 5 and below is Isaya who was #2

The beautiful young lady above is Gertrude who is #3 in Standard 5 and the handsome young man below is Baraka who was #1 in Standard 6

Above is Dorice who was #2 in Standard 6 and below is Clara who was #3 in Standard 6

Above is Teresia who was got a Tanzania “A” in her Standard 7 Exit Exam by the Government.